As a working mom, there came a point when I learned to accept I won’t always be the first one to witness my children’s big milestones. But I’m still the mom that delighted in it when I watched my daughter accomplishing those first tiny steps. I’m still the mom that wrote down her first word in her baby book and I share the story with her today of her pointing to our cat and saying “tat” for the first time. Or at least the first time that my ears heard it.
Yeah, as a working mom, there will be things that we miss. As they get older, it may not be milestones that we’re missing. There may be a time that we can’t get off work to go to a recital. We may not be able to make it to every game. This is true for all moms, working or not.
We cannot be present for every moment.
So, what happens when you miss milestones as a working mom? There may be times that we feel disappointment, and yes, even guilt. But we smile through the phone call and enjoy the moment as best we can. We watch the video or share the picture that was taken (and feel thankful for technology!). We share in the excitement once we are home. We adapt to the moments as they come. And we are present for our kids in the best way we can be.